In compression/decompression (codec) systems, compression efficiency and video quality are important performance criteria. For example, visual quality is an important aspect of the user experience in many video applications and compression efficiency impacts the amount of memory storage needed to store video files and/or the amount of bandwidth needed to transmit and/or stream video content. For example, a video encoder compresses video information so that more information can be sent over a given bandwidth or stored in a given memory space or the like. The compressed signal or data may then be decoded via a decoder that decodes or decompresses the signal or data for display to a user. In most implementations, higher visual quality with greater compression is desirable.
Deblock filtering is an important feature in modern video coding standards such as the H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) standard and the H.265 High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard. Such deblock filtering improves both objective and subjective video quality. In the standards, a set of parameters are defined to regulate the deblock filtering operations and default values of the parameters are provided based on optimizations of the standard reference codec and test clips during the standardization process. However, in implementation, the default values may not be optimal due to the different encoder design and video content variations. For example, blocking artifacts or over smoothing can be observed.
It may be advantageous to improve deblock filter selection for deblock filtering to provide improved compression efficiency and/or video quality. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements have been needed. Such improvements may become critical as the desire to compress and transmit video data becomes more widespread.